You Are Not Alone!

Free Resource to Parents, Providers & Communities!

Are you new to having a family or maybe you are new to Iowa? Did you know there is a program called Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) that is a FREE resource for all things child care? This program is funded by the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) through the Child Care Development Fund and is put in place to help parents, businesses, communities and child care providers throughout the state!

Parents

CCR&R provides services that help parents make informed choices about the care for their children. Before starting your search, we recommend you read Iowa CCR&R's Guide to Choosing Quality Child Care (Spanish, Burmese, Swahili) to give you a greater understanding about selecting quality child care.

CCR&R refers parents to programs that are most likely to meet their specific needs. Referrals are provided so that parents can look into all of their options which include Licensed Child Care Centers (CCC), Licensed Preschools, Registered Child Development Homes (CDH), nonregistered Child Care Homes (CCH) and Department of Education programs. CCR&R gives referrals instead of recommendations or suggestions because CCR&R encourages parents to take the time to research child care programs and providers to make the decision that they feel will be best for their family. To get a list of child care providers in your area that meet the needs of your family, call 855-244-5301 or email childcare@caeiowa.org.

Communities

Another AMAZING service that CCR&R offers is the data behind child care! Did you know that for the past five years child care is on a 33% decline in the state of Iowa? If you are looking for ways you can help the child care world, start your own business or if you want to advocate for quality child care in your community connect with CCR&R!

Ways you can utilize CCR&R services to help yourself and your community:

1. Open a Child Care Business - If you have ever considered working from home and opening a home child care business now is the time to make that happen! CCR&R can help you get started and provide you with all of the necessary steps to open a child care home business! If you think you want to open a center CCR&R can also help with that!
    
2. Educate Employers on the Importance of Child Care - Did you know child care plays a critical role in workforce retention? Well it does! Child care-related work benefits can be a valuable tool for businesses looking to develop, grow and retain their workforce. Research shows that increasing access to quality, affordable child care options isn’t just a great perk for employees - it’s good for your bottom line and can play a critical role in your workforce retention strategy.
    
3. Your Community AND Child Care - The child care crisis in Iowa affects more than just parents and employers. It affects your community as a whole. It is common knowledge to expand or create new businesses in your community, you must have adequate housing available for employees, sufficient roads and infrastructure to accommodate expansion. Most communities do not consider child care for community development. Employees and families view child care just as important as housing. Child care can be a valuable tool for communities to develop, grow and sustain a reliable workforce and good economy.
    
4. Shared Services - By pooling community resources, we can make it easier for providers to access the tools and support they need to make it financially viable. Child care providers rely on goods that many businesses can either donate or provide at a reduced cost. Additionally, many business support services used by one child care provider could be easily replicated for another. Child care facilities can also share the resources they have at their disposal with other providers to strengthen their local industry. Studies show that investments in high-quality early learning programs result in higher wages later in life, increased tax revenue, more effective public schools, improved personal and public health, less crime, more educated and skilled workers.
    
5. What can YOU do?

• VOLUNTEER: Staffing Support, Board Membership, Fundraising Professional Expertise
• SPACE: Rent, Storage, Utilities, Water Heating & Cooling
• SERVICES: Lawn Maintenance, Snow Removal, Cleaning, Construction, Trash Pick-Up, Handywork (Painting, Plumbing, Electrical, Windows), Human Resources Assistance, Accounting Support.
• CONNECTIONS: Business Support (Accounting, Management, Marketing, HR, Tax, Financial), CPR/First Aid Training, Technology Support, Gym Memberships, Museums/Libraries/Zoos/Community Activities, Employee Appreciation
• MATERIALS/SUPPLIES: Washers/Dryers, Cribs, Tables/Chairs, Storage Cabinets, Play Equipment, Safety Equipment, Cleaning Supplies/Laundry Detergent, Office Supplies, Paper Products, Toys/Books, First Aid Supplies/Gloves, Diapers/Clothes, Formula, Gift Cards

Connect with CCR&R Community Development Specialists for more options.

Tags: services , referrals , community

« Back